The Bible tells us the children of Israel journeyed as families and ascended three times a year up to Jerusalem to gather for a week to celebrate the Feast of Passover, Pentecost, and Tabernacles.
They would sing the Songs of Ascents beginning from Psalm 120 through Psalm 134.
The songs lift the eyes of the heart to the LORD and God’s Word gives understanding to the soul, step by step, of the heavenly Father’s love toward His people.
The message was sent from God to everyone—the whole earth, every tongue, nation, tribe. What does God tell us?
“What about Psalm 127?” You ask.
“Unless the Lord builds the house,
those who build it labor in vain.
Unless the Lord watches over the city,
the watchman stays awake in vain.
It is in vain that you rise up early
and go late to rest,
eating the bread of anxious toil;
for he gives to his beloved sleep Psalm 127:1,2.
“Let Me lead.” The Lord says basically, “Don’t fret about yesterday, don’t worry about tomorrow, let Me in. I make all things new.
Step by step I’ll direct your steps. I’m not saying, sit and let Me move, I’m saying ‘follow Me,’ I’ll show you the way.”
Opposite to our natural need to remain in control, God speaks and reveals:
“Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord,
the fruit of the womb a reward.
Like arrows in the hand of a warrior
are the children of one’s youth.
Blessed is the man
who fills his quiver with them!
He shall not be put to shame
when he speaks with his enemies in the gate” Psalm 127:3-5.
God’s ways are not like ours. Children are a lot of work, but God reminds us they are our heritage, our reward, our greatest blessing.
We want to make plans without hassle and difficulty, yet the Lord knows the “man is blessed whose quiver is full of children!”
We don’t want to have to trust God. We want to trust in ourselves. We want to “build our own house,” so to speak.
God says,
“As the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts” Isaiah 55:9.
God speaks to tell us His love, power, help, and hope. He didn’t leave us here as orphans to figure everything out on our own.
He allows everyone to make the choice to believe Him or not. Oh, yes. His ways are l-o-n-g . . . s-u-f-f-e-r-i-n-g. and gentle.
It’s like the ark of God with its door open wide, (there was only one door). (Yet only a family of eight walked in?) Amazing grace . . .
According to the Genesis account, everyone else stayed outside the door . . . and laughed.
To follow God will be the hardest decision of our lives. But the most rewarding.
The open Word is as a door to the soul when the Spirit of God is given entrance to move by faith. God calls:
“Today, if you will hear My voice, do not harden your hearts . . . “
To believe God is as . . . to walk through the Door.
Jesus, Himself said, “I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out
and find pasture” John 10:9.
“Yes, today. I want to “go in and out and find pasture.”
Today, I will follow Jesus. Not with one foot in and one foot out. I will enter the door. I’m in.
And you?
“I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out
and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy.
I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. I am the good shepherd.
The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep” John 10:9-11.
(Start your year and read the Book of John as if you join Jesus on each page. Decide for yourself. God gives no mandates, only grace for those who choose to believe.)